Will Prop. S funds be returned?

In “School closures considered in S.D.” (Local, Sept. 15), San Diego Unified administrators say that besides saving $500,000 per closed school, additional funds would be saved by canceling some Proposition S construction projects.

This is not believable because the fate of that money is up to the school board, and I have yet to see any agencies return money to the source; they will spend it on some project.

The real sin is that the Proposition S money or the moneys being used for school lunches cannot be to a better use, such as actual education. -- William Raver, El Cajon

Now is not time for B Street terminal

In response to “Rough times to continue for cruise industry” (Sept. 14): What San Diego Unified Port District officials do not say reveals more than what they do. I note no port official mentions the Port Master Plan, which requires a signature North Embarcadero of public parks and piers to attract tens of millions in tourist revenue. Their proposed $40 million terminal for B Street Pier, higher in cost than Broadway Pier’s new $25 million terminal – an unused white elephant – is for an industry whose return to strength may never happen.

No one believes ever-escalating cartel violence in Mexican port cities will resolve any decade soon on the port district’s timeline. This project would be akin to building a new Chargers stadium without a new lease. Are we now building redevelopment projects on spec when libraries are closed? -- Scott Andrews, San Diego

Respecting religious foundation of U.S.

Not only has teacher Bradley Johnson displayed some of the religious foundations of the U.S. (these words can be found on our money, in our national anthem, at the House of Representatives, in a song celebrating America and in the Declaration of Independence), he obviously understands their importance to his students (“Court backs district on banners,” Sept. 14).

Although the Supreme Court has ruled that the use of these phrases does not constitute the establishment of religion, Poway Unified argued that the phrases are being “taken out of context.” For example, it argued that “endowed by their creator” would be acceptable if displayed with the entire Declaration of Independence. It is hard to imagine how parts of the Declaration of Independence and the words written on our currency could be taken out of context and presumably be misleading except to those who are not even vaguely familiar with this important document.

Poway argues that Johnson, as an employee of the district, doesn’t have the right to express his personal opinions in the classroom. True, but my question to Poway Unified is: Why hasn’t the district adopted these opinions as its own? -- Samuel J. Puma, San Marcos

True poverty culprit

In response to “U.S. poverty total hits 52-year peak” (Sept. 13): It is tempting to blame the president and Congress. The true culprits are American businesses.

They are outsourcing service jobs at a rate up to 20,000 per month. They also moved more than 2 million manufacturing jobs overseas since 1983.

Only when American businesses realize they are decimating their biggest customer, the American middle class, will they start hiring Americans and end the recession. -- Yale Kadesky, Escondido

Comments landscape is safe and boring

In response to “Online commentators will lose anonymity” (Sept. 12): In the past,

SignOnSanDiego.com would have from 25 to 1,000-plus comments per story. Many filled in details the U-T left out. While some were in questionable taste, most were entertaining, thought-provoking and funny. After the Facebook policy was enacted, I usually see six or so responses. They’re politically correct, safe and boring. People have written to explain how to open an anonymous Facebook account. I have no intention of opening any account. Good luck with that new policy. -- Tom Basinski, Chula Vista

Stimulus encore

The president is pushing a new and repackaged stimulus plan disguised as a jobs bill (“Obama challenges GOP over jobs bill,” Sept. 13). Why doesn’t he just take the lipstick off the pig and call it a pig?

Our leaders have proved that they can’t create sustainable jobs nor can they run a private or government business. Just take the post office for example – it is going broke. What our leaders have shown us they can do is to select a private company, lend it a half-billion dollars and, voilà! – watch that company declare bankruptcy two years later, a la Solyndra. Solyndra was Obama’s solar company and is the best example of U.S. taxpayer dollars supporting a green-energy company. All we’ve seen is the green being flushed down the drain! -- Ginger Robyn, Solana Beach